HAVEN, Kan. — Haven’s offense came alive late Thursday, sending the Wildcats back to the Class 3A state softball tournament.
The No. 2-seeded Wildcats rallied from a four-run deficit and defeated No. 3 Osage City 9-6 in the regional championship game Thursday evening at Haven High School. Haven improved to 27-2, while Osage City ended its season 24-5.
Osage City jumped out early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Peyton Pitts’ two-run home run. The Indians added two more runs in the third on Jasey Tyson’s two-run single, building a 4-0 lead.
Haven got on the board in the bottom of the third when Morgan O’Neal homered to left field, cutting the deficit to 4-1. Osage City pushed the lead back to 5-1 in the fifth before the Wildcats began their comeback.
Haven scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Mayzie Warden doubled home Aubree Nikkel, Morgan O’Neal drove in Warden with a sacrifice fly, and Paige O’Neal singled home Avery Brawner to make it 5-4.
The Wildcats then broke through with a five-run sixth inning. Brawner tied the game with an RBI single, and Morgan O’Neal followed with a two-run double to give Haven a 7-5 lead. Paige O’Neal then delivered the biggest swing of the night, a two-run home run to center field that stretched the lead to 9-5.
Osage City scored once in the seventh, but Paige O’Neal worked out of the inning to finish the win.
Morgan O’Neal led Haven at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a home run, a double and four RBIs. Paige O’Neal was 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs. Brawner went 2 for 3 with an RBI, while Warden finished 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.
Paige O’Neal earned the win in relief, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits in four innings. She struck out three and did not walk a batter. Brawner started and allowed four runs on three hits in three innings.
Pitts took the loss for Osage City, allowing nine runs on 12 hits in six innings. She struck out two and walked two. Pitts also led the Indians at the plate with a home run.